


2.15 Coconia Craze

by amsves



Category: Log Horizon
Genre: Awkward Romance, Don't copy to another site, F/M, Fluff, Love Confessions, because cmon it's them, follows 2.14 Tender Trap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:35:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22722526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amsves/pseuds/amsves
Summary: Akatsuki just so happens to be in the right place at the right time. The consequence: she gets to help the Roderick Firm by testing one of their new potential products. She agrees forpurely altruisticreasons. Hijinks, of course, ensue.
Relationships: Akatsuki/Shiroe (Log Horizon)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 58





	2.15 Coconia Craze

**Author's Note:**

> Four things!  
> 1\. Thank you so much to the _amazing_ [theinconceivabletruth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theinconceivabletruth) for being the extra pair of eyes I so desperately needed. Without their help this would have been way worse.  
> 2\. The central gimmick of this fic is just Amortentia but in Log Horizon okay before anyone yells at me in the comments. It's just reskinned Amortentia but we're not here for complicated worldbuilding, you clicked on this fic because of the relationship tag same as anyone else.  
> 3\. This fic includes my headcanon that Akatsuki smells good because why would I headcanon her as smelling bad.  
> 4\. Happy Valentine's Day!

The day known as Valentine’s Day had officially come and gone, and it was now the fifteenth day of February in the Elder Tales world. Akatsuki’s feelings on the matter were mixed. On one hand, the debacle with the Coconia fruit had been stressful, and her inner competition with Minori had reared its ugly head in a way that she wasn’t necessarily proud of. On the other hand, it was a little disappointing that she and Minori had put in all that work for little to no reward. At least her Lord had liked the cake.

These were the thoughts that ran through Akatsuki’s head as she made her way to the Roderick Firm. In her bag was a bundle of documents from her Lord. Akatsuki wasn’t certain what they were about exactly, but that wasn’t important. What was important was that she got them in Roderick’s hands as quickly as possible. Fast, stealthy transport was her specialty.

She appeared at the door of the Roderick Firm’s research lab and knocked. 

There was no answer.

She knocked again and, when she still received no answer, she tested the door. It was unlocked. Cautiously, she pushed it open, and stepped inside.

From the interior of the building, she could hear several voices, involved in what seemed like a heated argument. Akatsuki wasn’t eager to get in the middle of that, whatever that was, but one of the voices sounded a lot like Roderick, and this was her mission. She rolled her shoulders back and followed the sound into what looked like a mad scientist’s lair, complete with bottles of brightly-colored liquids and corked test tubes scattered haphazardly around. 

She could see, among all the scientific paraphernalia, Roderick and Mikakage, both of whom appeared to be getting frustrated. Blue Forest was also present, though he looked more confused than incensed. 

“I really don’t know what you mean, Guild Master! I can’t smell anything other than macarons and spices! I can’t believe they smell good together, but they do, and the scent is so strong that I can’t make out any of this other stuff you’re talking about.”

“What is the cause of this?” the Guild Master in question wondered aloud, fingers drumming incessantly on one of the lab tables. “I can’t believe that I’m the only one smelling freshly fallen snow and pine needles! Blue Forest, what do you smell?”

Blue Forest looked uncomfortable as he answered, “Honestly, it smells like a Crescent Burger in here. I don’t know what you guys are talking about.”

“This is madness,” Roderick grumbled, and it was then that he noticed Akatsuki. He took a deep breath to calm himself in the presence of a guest. “Oh, hello there. I’m sorry we didn’t hear you come in. Do you have something for me?”

Akatsuki nodded and approached him. “My Lord has sent me with some important documents for you. I hope they are what you needed.”

Roderick took the bundle from her and leafed through them breezily. “Yes, yes, everything seems to be in order. Thank you, Akatsuki. I trust you’ll pass that along to Shiroe as well.” He paused, and then asked, “What does this room smell like to you?”

Mikakage and Blue Forest groaned. Akatsuki took a slow breath, trying to make out exactly what she could smell. She gathered her words for a moment before answering. “It smells like clean steel, and fresh ink, and really high quality paper, and …” she trailed off, unwilling to add _and my Lord’s cloak_. 

Roderick snapped his fingers. “That’s it! Akatsuki, would you say you love those smells?”

She could feel a blush rising on her cheeks and her throat getting tight. “Uh, yes,” she squeaked out. 

If the Roderick Firm noticed her awkwardness, they didn’t comment on it. “So you’re saying the distilled Coconia water gives off a fragrance that is appealing to the person smelling it?” Mikakage asked.

Blue Forest nodded. “That makes sense. It is supposed to reveal what you love, isn’t it?”

“It is surprising that this effect holds true even after Valentine’s Day, though,” Roderick mumbled. He grabbed a notepad and pen and scribbled something down. “Regardless, we’ve made a breakthrough. Thank you, Akatsuki.”

“Oh, uh, I really didn’t--”

“The Roderick Firm will halt general research on Coconia and begin investigating this opportunity immediately,” he continued. “If all goes well, we could definitely sell this as a kind of perfume. I reckon we could make a fortune with it. What young lady wouldn’t want the object of her affections to think she smells amazing?”

Mikakage cleared her throat. “Before we can market this product, we need to know more about it. How long-lasting is it? How far away can the scent reach? How much perfume must be applied for it to be effective?”

“Well, in that case, why don’t we ask Akatsuki to help us?” Blue Forest suggested. “She’s already here, and she already knows what’s going on. Akatsuki, would you mind being a tester for our new perfume?”

Yesterday’s failure popped into her mind. The ability to make Shiroe swoon for her, even if just for a moment, and to know what smells he liked the most … there was no question. “I accept.”

Roderick smiled and bottled some of the perfume in a test tube for her. “Please write down anything that could be of note and send it over when you have time.”

She nodded, and took her leave, perfume clutched tightly in her hand. 

Once she left the lab, Akatsuki moved to apply the perfume, but stopped just before she uncorked the test tube. What was she thinking? It would be bad if she walked all the way home like this, through the busy city of Akiba, alone. She would have to do that kind of information-gathering after she explained what was happening to Shiroe and the others, and after someone agreed to help her. Besides, what if she used too much by accident and never even made it to Shiroe?

Akatsuki placed the bottle in her bag with utmost care, and ran home as fast as her legs would carry her. 

* * *

Right as she reached the front door of Log Horizon, Akatsuki applied two single drops of the Coconia perfume to her body, one on each side of her neck. After placing the remaining perfume back in her bag, she opened the door and stepped into her home.

Naotsugu and Touya were in the dining room when she entered, lounging on the couch with an open notebook on the table between them. Akatsuki had half a second to hope it was a battle strategy notebook instead of Naotsugu’s infamous panties notebook before they noticed her. Both boys straightened immediately, eyeing her curiously and with confusion.

“Akatsuki, why do you smell like grass and barbecue?” Touya asked cautiously. 

Naotsugu drew his eyebrows together. “Little dude, what are you talking about? She totally smells like fresh cotton first and fore--hey!” 

Akatsuki didn’t appear to have moved from her spot at all, but Naotsugu was on the floor. She smiled slightly. “Would you say I smell … good?”

That only confused the boys more. “Uh, yeah? Who doesn’t love the smell of ladies’ underwear?” Naotsugu replied, hand pressed to the side of his head where he had received an invisible kick. “But why do you smell good? Have you finally accepted the truth?”

“Shut it,” she said, voice flat. “That’s not it at all.” She took the test tube of perfume out of her bag. “This is a prototype perfume being developed by the Roderick Firm. It’s made with Coconia fruit, and supposedly its smell is personalized to each person who breathes it in. The theory is that you smell scents you love.” With her explanation out of the way, she put the perfume away again. “Does that answer your question?”

“So why are you testing it for them?” Touya asked instead of answering. 

She shrugged. “I was there.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think you were the kind of girl who liked to wear perfume.”

Naotsugu’s face lit up in recognition. “Oh, I see how it is. This is about Shiroe, isn’t it?”

 _Busted_. Akatsuki knew without looking in a mirror that her face was as red as a tomato. “N-no! That’s not what this is about at all!” She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. “I was just helping out, that’s all. And how do you know I don’t like perfume? Every girl likes to smell nice once in a while!”

She could tell Naotsugu and Touya weren’t buying it one bit. Defeated, she averted her eyes. “Okay, fine. Maybe _that_ was a little tiny part of the reason.”

She had expected a cacophony of laughter, but only silence followed. She peeked back at the boys. “Don’t … laugh?”

“Huh? Why would we laugh at you?” Touya sounded like he had genuinely never considered the idea. “You and Master Shiroe are around the same age in the real world, right? And you obviously like each other a lot and trust each other a lot. It’s not like you’re crushing on some guy who’s twice your age or something. That would be weird, haha.”

 _Well, at least he’s not sabotaging me to help his sister._ Akatsuki pivoted her eyes to Naotsugu. “And you?”

Naotsugu raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Frankly, I’m just relieved to see you trying stuff like this. All jokes aside, you guys are insufferable.”

“What’s _that_ supposed to mean?” Akatsuki retorted, voice rising into a yell by accident.

Two heads poked out of their respective rooms at that moment, alerted by the noise. “Now what’s this all about, everybody?” Nyanta said in his usual mellow-mannered way. “And Akatsuki, girl, why do mew smell so delightful? Just like fresh catnip and basil, mm.” 

“Catnip?” Minori questioned. “I was going to ask if someone was baking, since it smells like fresh cake in here.”

Akatsuki explained her situation once again. Minori looked mildly uncomfortable, likely because she had noticed what Touya and Naotsugu had previously pointed out, but she didn’t say anything. Nyanta accepted her story and only said, “Well, I hope mew don’t overpower the smell of our dinner. I’m making curry tonight. Maybe that’ll finally get Shiroecchi out of his room, mm?”

“So he’s been in there all day, huh,” Akatsuki said to herself. “My Lord, you work too hard.” All of a sudden, she remembered what Roderick had said about collecting information. “If you all don’t mind, could you pass this paper around and write down what the perfume smells like to you? I’m sure the Roderick Firm would appreciate the information.”

They did, and then Nyanta announced he was going to get started on that curry. Minori, after a moment, offered to help, and the two of them headed to the kitchen. It was back to the original three, until Izusu and Rudy walked down the stairs. “We heard all the voices,” Izusu began. “What’s happening? Also, it smells great in here!”

“Yes, what is the source of all this?” Rudy added. “What ails our guild so that we must argue about it in this deliciously perfumed room?”

Akatsuki sighed, and explained one more time. 

By the time she was done, the smells of dinner could be detected over the power of her perfume. Akatsuki wrote that down, and then waited. Surely, the glory of Nyanta’s curry and whatever smell he would interpret from the Coconia perfume would be powerful enough to break Shiroe’s self-imposed imprisonment. 

Right?

* * *

 _Wrong_ . Their dinner had been wonderful, as always, but her Lord hadn’t made an appearance, not even to grab a plate and take it back to his room. Akatsuki felt frustrated, and was taking it out on the dishes she was drying. She had gotten involved in this Coconia nonsense for _him_ (not that he knew that, of course), and he hadn’t around her at all since she got back! 

Maybe it was time to reapply the perfume. “Nyanta, can you still smell the catnip and basil on me?”

“Hmm, it does appear to have faded by now, mm. Mew should note that for the Roderick Firm.”

Akatsuki jotted down the estimated duration of effect, and then opened the perfume tube once more. No sooner had she dabbed two more drops on her neck and put it away than--success!--she heard the familiar creak of her Lord’s door opening. She carefully regulated her breathing and kept her back turned to the door, trying to act natural. Never mind that the dish she was wiping was already well dry. 

“Did I miss dinner?”

Akatsuki felt her breath catch as she heard Shiroe speak. He sounded sheepish, like he knew he shouldn’t have worked through dinner and was regretting it. She didn’t turn around.

“Mew did, Shiroecchi. But I saved mew some.” From the corner of Akatsuki’s eye, she saw Nyanta grab the portion of curry left and place it in Shiroe’s hands. “Better eat up.”

“I will, thank you.”

Shiroe sounded like he was about to leave. This was her chance. 

Akatsuki set the plate she had been holding down on the counter, as calmly as she could manage, and turned around to face him. “My Lord,” she said, keeping her voice steady, “Why did you skip dinner?”

Shiroe sputtered. “Well, I, uh, I was working on some important Round Table business--”

That damn _paperwork!_ How dare it ruin everything! Akatsuki stomped up to Shiroe until she was right in front of him. “I’m sure the Round Table wouldn’t appreciate you collapsing from starvation,” she said pointedly. _Come on, Coconia, do your thing._ She was as far into Shiroe’s personal space as either of them could bear without bursting into flames. Even now, her whole body was heating up with embarrassment. She was so close to him! And talking so rudely!

Shiroe twitched. Akatsuki heard him manually regulating his breathing. She allowed the smallest hint of a smile to decorate her lips. _Looks like it’s working_.

But nothing came of it. He merely stammered out an apology, and practically ran back to his room, curry in tow.

Akatsuki wanted to hit something. She settled for drying another dish very aggressively. 

“Not the reaction mew wanted, mm?” Nyanta asked, and she just grit her teeth and worked harder. 

“This Coconia fruit is cursed.”

Naotsugu sauntered into the kitchen. “I can’t remember the last time I saw Shiroe run away like that. You really did a number on him, huh pipsqueak?”

“Don’t call me that!” she retorted reflexively, before the other half of Naotsugu’s remark hit her. “Wait, what do you mean by that? He didn’t react at all! He just took his dinner and ran back to his cave!”

Naotsugu placed a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off. He placed it casually in his pocket, and then he spoke. “Listen, Akatsuki. Here’s how I see what just went down. The Coconia perfume smells like your favorite things, right?” 

She nodded, unsure of where he was going with that line of thought. “Yes, that’s what I told you. Right after I reapplied it, he came to get dinner, so it must have smelled like curry to him.”

“Yes, but most people have been smelling more than one thing,” Naotsugu countered. “Once you two were in the same room, he was probably able to smell the other layers of the perfume. Did he say anything?”

Akatsuki placed another dry dish on the counter. “Not a thing. All he talked about was dinner and paperwork.”

“Has there been anyone today who didn’t immediately start talking about how good the room smelled?” Naotsugu pressed. Akatsuki thought back and no, there really hadn’t. She expressed as much, and Naotsugu smirked. “So, the secondary smell either doesn’t exist, or it’s something he didn’t care to mention.”

“What did _mew_ smell, mm?” Nyanta asked. “Be honest.” 

Akatsuki knew that both of the people around her were painfully aware of her crush on her Lord. However, it was still embarrassing to admit that the Coconia perfume had manifested as clean steel, scribe materials, and Shiroe. 

“Mew smelled Shiroecchi. Is it impossible that he smelled mew, too? And that’s why he didn’t say anything?”

“You were embarrassed to admit it when he wasn’t here. Imagine how awful it would have been to say it when he _was_ ,” Naotsugu added. “In conclusion, the reason Shiroe didn’t say anything when you guys saw each other is that other than curry, _you’re_ his favorite thing.”

It was a good thing Akatsuki had already put down the dish she had been holding. She absolutely would have dropped it on the kitchen floor.

“EEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHH?”

* * *

After her brief freakout, Naotsugu left the kitchen to go tell Shiroe the news that his secret crush wasn’t a secret anymore. Akatsuki waited until she heard the telltale click of the door opening and shutting, and then tiptoed over. She pressed her ear against the wall, and focused as hard as she could on listening.

“ _I’ve got some bad news,_ ” she heard Naotsugu say, “ _Or, rather, it’s bad for you. I_ personally _am relieved._ ”

“ _Well that’s not reassuring,_ ” Shiroe returned drily. Akatsuki sucked in a breath. “ _What happened?_ ”

“ _Okay, so, you know that crush you have on Akatsuki that you totally deny having but it’s so obvious to everyone but her?_ ”

“ _I-I don’t know what you mean_.” 

“ _Yeah, that one. Anyways, I think the cat’s out of the bag. Akatsuki’s testing some new perfume made from Coconia fruit, and it smells like the things you like the most. To you it totally smelled like curry and then something that reminds you of her, right?_ ”

She heard Shiroe sigh. “ _...right. What’s the point of this, Naotsugu?_ ”

“ _Well, when you were the only person in Log Horizon who didn’t immediately come up to her and tell her she smelled amazing, she figured it out immediately_.”

That was a lie. Akatsuki had needed it spelled out for her, and a part of her still harbored doubt. Naotsugu was just trying to pretend he hadn’t exposed his friend.

“ _Oh. Uh, well, that’s unfortunate_.”

“ _And this is why I said bad for you and great for me. You were willing to take this crush to the grave, which is_ dumb _, because she totally likes you back. Now that she knows, you really have nothing to lose, right?_ ”

“ _Are you sure she figured it out? You’re not just saying that so I’ll get this over with?_ ”

“ _Nope. I don’t know how she couldn’t be aware of it at this point. It’s clear as day. Just go talk to her._ ”

“ _I will. Maybe. … I don’t know._ ”

That last part hurt her. Akatsuki suddenly lost her desire to eavesdrop. She flashed up to the roof for some fresh air.

* * *

She hadn’t been out there long when Shiroe appeared. He probably was here for the same reason she was: to clear her head and be alone for a while. Akatsuki considered staying up in the tree branches, letting him have his illusion of solitude, but that would be just another act of dishonesty. She was tired of being this way.

She dropped down a few feet away from him, and he flinched. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you were out here.”

“There’s no need to apologize, my Lord,” she murmured. “I’m just enjoying the fresh air.”

“Yeah, me too.” Shiroe settled himself on the edge of the roof, legs swinging freely off of the side. “It’s a beautiful night, really.”

“My Lord, that’s dangerous,” she reprimanded, but it was different this time. Her voice lacked the usual edge it had when Shiroe was doing something bad for his health; it was softer, more hesitant. “I must ask you to get back from there.”

“If I somehow managed to slip, I would only fall one floor before I hit the ledge where Minori hangs the laundry,” he objected.

That was true. Her Lord was level ninety. He would doubtless survive a fall from that height. Akatsuki suddenly felt very foolish. When she spoke to justify herself, her voice was just a whisper, barely audible over the breeze. “I just don’t want anything bad to happen to you, my Lord.”

He turned to face her, and she felt his eyes boring into her soul. “Yeah? That’s an awfully big goal.”

 _And you’re only one tiny person_ , her mind supplied, but she brushed it off. “I can manage,” she said stoutly. “I promised to serve and protect you, didn’t I, my Lord?”

“Could you stop that?” he interjected. “Just for a little while. It feels weird for you to address me by that name when you know--” 

He broke off, casting his gaze back at the city of Akiba, beautifully aglow and mostly empty this time of night. Akatsuki took a deep breath, pushing down her fear and guilt, which were both steadily rising. “I didn’t figure it out by myself,” she said carefully. “Naotsugu and Nyanta had to spell it out for me line by line. I was … disappointed by your lack of reaction.”

“Were you listening to our conversation?”

“I am a ninja.”

Shiroe turned his gaze back towards her and smiled. “I know. One of the best, even.”

It was her turn to smile. “It makes me very happy to hear that.”

For a while, they said nothing, simply letting the rustling leaves and whistling wind fill the silence. But Akatsuki couldn’t keep silent forever. Her feelings were threatening to spill out of her, if not in poorly-chosen words then in tears or violence or some other way. There was something in her Lord’s eyes that was still unmistakably sad, and embarrassed, and ashamed, and she had put it there. He had been keeping a secret, and it had been exposed without his consent. Akatsuki felt dirty, like she had betrayed the one person to whom she had sworn her loyalty. She had to come clean.

“Shiroe,” she said, and it felt quite strange. But she didn’t stop there. “I would like to apologize.”

“What do you have to be sorry for?”

She bowed. “I agreed to be a perfume tester because I wanted to know what you liked. I could have simply asked you, but I used an underhanded tactic instead. For that, I am sorry.” She took a deep breath, and continued. “I also agreed to it because I thought if I wore the Coconia perfume, you would like it, and maybe want to be closer to me so you could smell it …” she trailed off, took another breath, and finished strong. “It was juvenile of me. For that, also, I am sorry.”

Shiroe didn’t say anything for a moment. Finally, when he did speak, it wasn’t to accept her apology or anything along those lines. It was a simple question. “What does the perfume smell like to you?”

“Clean steel, fresh ink, high quality paper … and your cloak.”

He smiled, and stood up. “I accept your apology, Akatsuki. And I have one to offer you as well. I failed to recognize your feelings for a long time. I’m self-centered and I don’t understand how other people feel, and that caused you distress. For that, I am sorry.”

She straightened her posture. “You shouldn’t be apologizing to me! I should have made my intentions more clear!”

“Well, I shouldn’t have been so dense that you needed to,” he fired back.

For the first time, Akatsuki noticed how close they were. She wasn’t even an arm’s length from Shiroe. If she wanted to, she could reach out and grab his hand--

Her fingers twitched. She pressed her hands firmly to her sides.

“Since we’re already most of the way there,” Shiroe said, haltingly, “Do you want to maybe get all this out in the open?”

“Are you sure? Would the Round Table like you--” _dating_ was too uncomfortable to say, but it looked like Shiroe understood. 

“If they can handle Soujirou, I think we’re fine,” he said, and that made perfect sense. The last flimsy barriers were coming down around them. There really wasn’t any reason Akatsuki could find that they didn’t deserve to be happy.

“So? What do you think?”

She needed desperately to say _yes, let’s put this heartache behind us and just_ _talk_ _for once_ , to scream it from the rooftops, but she couldn’t. The words were caught in her throat, threatening to choke her if she didn’t dislodge them. She nodded once, just barely moving her chin. 

Shiroe saw it anyway. “Since I brought it up, I’ll go first.” He gave a nervous chuckle. “Um. Akatsuki, I have a crush on you. When I smelled the Coconia perfume, it smelled like curry and your shampoo.”

Her palms were sweating. Looking at him felt like looking at the sun. He was too bright. She turned her eyes towards her shoes and forced the awkward words out, voice hoarse. “Shiroe, I have feelings for you. When I smelled the perfume, it smelled like my weapons and you.”

He reached out and touched her fingertips with his own, not daring to grab her hand or even lock their fingers together. “Well, it appears we have something in common.”

“What do we do now?” she asked quietly, staring at the ground. 

“Well, there’s really only one thing to do in situations like these. Or so I’m told.” Shiroe cleared his throat, and she lifted her eyes. His face was too painful, still, so she let her gaze land on their hands. 

“How are you acting so cool and collected?” she asked, her internal frustrations saturating her voice. “How can you say all this so casually and with a straight face when I can’t even look you in the eye? How are your nerves not _eating you alive_?”

“You think I’m cool?”

She huffed. “That’s _not_ the point I’m trying to make.”

It took her a moment to realize that Shiroe was _laughing_ at her. Her indignation melted away as he kept talking. “Honestly? I don’t know how I’m doing this either. My heart’s beating out of my chest. I think it might explode.”

“Well, that can’t happen,” she mused. “I said I didn’t want anything bad to happen to you. An explosion of the heart sounds pretty bad.”

“Then, will you do me the honor of going on a date with me? A real date, just the two of us?”

Akatsuki laced their fingers together. She finally lifted her eyes, and smiled. “I would love to.”

They were still, neither of them daring to make a move after that. They might have stayed there forever, content to just look into each other’s eyes, had Akatsuki thought to herself, _He’s been enough of a cool guy tonight. It’s my turn to make a move_. With that, she closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around Shiroe’s midsection in a wonderfully tight hug.

He caught on immediately, encircling her shoulders and resting his chin on the top of her head. _This is perfect,_ she thought. _I wish we could stay like this forever_.

“Did you hug me just so you could smell me?” 

He’d meant it as a joke, but Akatsuki froze. Had she? It hadn’t been conscious, but had there been underlying motivations? She couldn’t be sure. “... that definitely wasn’t the _main_ reason.”

“Well, you can sniff me any time. No pretext required.” Akatsuki could _feel_ the moment Shiroe realized what he had said. He physically cringed. “Why did I say that. Please ignore me. That sounded so much worse out loud.”

Akatsuki couldn’t help but burst into laughter. When Shiroe followed suit a moment after, she knew in her heart that things were really going to be okay. 

**Author's Note:**

> Find me and request fluff bingo squares on [Tumblr!](http://www.skeletoncloset.tumblr.com)


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